TN parties call bandh to seek liquor ban

The death of anti-liquor activist Sasi Perumal during a protest three days ago has brought to the fore the demand for total prohibition with political parties across the state calling for a state bandh to demand liquor ban.

With several incidents of violence reported across the state, Chief Minister J Jayalalitha chaired a high-level meeting on Monday to deal with the situation.

Except Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) led by its chief Ramadoss, no other political outfit in the state had talked about liquor ban in the recent past.“Total prohibition”, once a poll promise of parties in Tamil Nadu, was not even mentioned in their election manifestos in the past several decades.

However, not only the opposition parties, including the DMK led by M Karunanidhi, pressed for a dry state, students have also started their protest across Tamil Nadu for the closure of liquor shops.Police sources from the headquarters here said during the last one week, more than 500 protesters were arrested.